This invention relates to automatic teller machines (ATMs).
In conventional ATMs stacks of banknotes are stored in cassettes from which they are extracted on receipt of a valid request from a customer. Known mechanisms for extracting notes from a cassette and delivering them to a collection point include vacuum-operated moveable suction pads and a conveyor belt. The notes need to be lifted one by one from the top of the stack and a mechanical drive moves the suction pads from a cassette to the conveyor belt. Inevitably there must be a time delay between the issue by a customer of a valid order for cash and the delivery of the banknotes comprising the request to the collection point. In view of the mechanical complexity of removing notes from a cassette and their subsequent transport the time delay will be sufficient to be noticeable to the customer. Such time delay will be a limiting factor in the speed of functioning of an ATM and hence in the maximum number of transactions that can be handled in a given time by an ATM. The wide acceptances of ATMs throughout the world make it desirable to minimize individual transaction times and increase the number of transactions that an ATM can handle in a given time and thus improve the return on their capital cost.
It is an object of the invention to decrease the time required by an ATM to handle a transaction.
According to the invention there is provided an automatic teller machine including a main store for storing at least one stack of banknotes, transport means for extracting notes from the main store and transporting them to a predetermined destination, and an external collection point for banknotes characterized in that at least one auxiliary ,tore for storing banknotes is provided and the transport means is arranged to transport notes from the main store to the auxiliary store and from the auxiliary store to the collection point.
Preferably the auxiliary store dispenses banknotes at a faster rate than the main store.
In carrying out the invention the auxiliary store may be arranged to dispense notes when they are requested in preference to the main store.
In embodiments of the invention a plurality of auxiliary stores may be provided holding banknotes of different denominations to each other. The main store may comprise a plurality of storage cassettes each storing a stack of banknotes. Different cassettes may;store notes of the same or different denominations.